Russia has not asked Cyprus for permission to use airbases — President Anastasiades

UNITED NATIONS, September 20. /TASS/. Russia has not addressed Cyprus with a request for letting it use an airbase, President Nicos Anastasiades told Russian media.

"No, there have been no discussions with the Russian government on that score. They respect our independence," he said.

Some Cypriot mass media on the eve of President Anastasiades’s visit to Russia in February 2015 carried speculations the government might let Russia use an airbase in the country’s territory. No confirmation followed. Later, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulidis did not rule out Cyprus might consider the possibility of granting permission to Russian aircraft returning from missions in Syria to use its airdromes but no specific agreements ensued.